Difference between revisions of "Emulators on macOS"

Latest revision as of 01:44, 24 May 2024

macOS

Developer	Apple
Type	Operating systems
Release date	2001
Latest release	macOS 14 Sonoma

This page is about emulators that run on macOS (previously Mac OS X).

For software that emulates macOS on other hardware, see MacOS.

For emulators that run on Classic Mac OS, see Emulators on Legacy systems#Classic Mac OS.

The Mac has changed considerably over the years, both in terms of hardware and software. It is important to understand these changes so you can choose the best emulators for your Mac.

Operating System - Classic Mac OS | macOS

The Mac has had two main operating systems over its history: The "Classic" Mac OS versions 1 through 9, and Mac OS X (Ten, not Ex) which is now referred to simply as macOS. Classic was a closed-source proprietary OS, whereas macOS is based on an open-source Unix variant called Darwin. This Unix base helps with Linux compatibility.

The first several releases of macOS up to 10.4 Tiger contained support for Classic applications, but this was later dropped.

CPU Architecture - PowerPC | x86 | x64 | Arm64

macOS has supported three major cpu architecture changes: IBM PowerPC (PPC), Intel x86/x64 and most recently Apple Silicon (Arm64). There have also been minor architectural changes such as moving from 32-bit PPC processors to the 64-bit PPC G5, or from Intel's 32-bit x86 to 64-bit x64. Each time there was a hardware transition, Apple provided ways to continue to support older software on the new systems.

Rosetta was a software emulation layer that helped PPC applications to run on x86/x64 Macs. It was built into 10.4.4 Tiger, but was an optional install in macOS 10.6 Snow Leopard and not available at all for 10.7 Lion. Rosetta 2 currently facilitates x64 software to run on Arm Macs. While Rosetta performs very respectably for most software, it adds extra overhead which can reduce performance on demanding games and emulators.

Apple also introduced Universal Binaries that bundle software for different architectures into a single app bundle. For example, Universal 2 app bundles contain x64 and Arm versions of software in one app. This is very useful for portability, or for people who don't know or care about their Mac's specs. If you know what CPU your Mac has, the advantage of getting the specific version for your CPU is that it will have a smaller file size than the universal binary. However the size difference is usually tiny, so just using the universal binary is usually the way to go.

Graphical Backend - OpenGL | MoltenVK | Metal

Another aspect to consider is the graphical backend of the emulator. For many years OpenGL was the main cross-platform standard for developing graphical software. However in recent times this has changed. More modern backends such as Vulkan and Metal are superseding it. OpenGL on macOS has now been marked as deprecated, meaning it is stuck on the older OGL 4.1. It doesn't receive any support or bug fixes and will someday be removed from macOS completely. Apple recommends for developers to create native Metal backends for their apps.

One issue with this is that a lot of emulators are cross platform, and Metal is only for Apple's platforms. The Vulkan backend for Windows and Linux is similar to Metal, but does not have support on macOS. So many emulators will develop a Vulkan backend and use the MoltenVK translation layer, which will take Vulkan instructions and convert them into their respective Metal equivalent. However not every Vulkan instruction has a Metal version, so either workarounds have to be designed, or some features cannot be supported at all.

Using one of these backends is not mandatory, of course. Some emulators may use a different backend or handle graphics themselves.

Before diving in;

Remember that emulators can have different levels of completion or compatibility. If a game you are trying to run does not work properly with a recommended emulator, try a different one. All this means that to find an emulator that works well for your Mac you should understand its specs first. Choose an emulator that supports your CPU architecture natively where possible. The emulators shown here will indicate the processor architecture it supports. Generally you should choose an emulator that supports Metal where available if you are on a modern Mac. MoltenVK should be more performant than OpenGL, although there may be compatibility issues. OpenGL may work, but some emulators need to use a version newer than OGL 4.1 that macOS doesn't support. In cases like this the emulator will be marked as not having OpenGL support. This list shows the latest versions of the emulator software. If you have an older CPU and the latest version does not support it, some emulators will keep archives of older versions that might, check out their website. See each Wiki Category Consoles, Computers and Arcade for individual dedicated system pages to see more detailed comparisons and information about software emulators. Dedicated system pages provide more up-to-date listings and in-depth information on specific aspects like hardware features, peripheral support, and compatibility etc. Some games have native Source Ports on macOS, which can be better than playing through an emulator. Also see Game engine recreations and source ports page for a list for all platforms.

1 Frontends
- 1.1 OpenEmu
- 1.2 Fightcade
2 Game-Specific Emulators
3 Arcade
- 3.1 Most Arcade Cabinets
- 3.2 Sega Atomiswave
- 3.3 Sega Model 3
- 3.4 Sega NAOMI/NAOMI 2
- 3.5 SNK Neo Geo MVS
- 3.6 Arcade LaserDisc
4 Nintendo
- 4.1 NES/Famicom
- 4.2 Super Nintendo
- 4.3 N64
- 4.4 GameCube
- 4.5 Wii
- 4.6 Wii U
- 4.7 Switch
- 4.8 Game Boy/Color
- 4.9 Game Boy Advance
- 4.10 DS
- 4.11 3DS
5 Sega
- 5.1 SG-1000
- 5.2 Master System
- 5.3 Mega Drive/Genesis
- 5.4 Mega CD
- 5.5 32X
- 5.6 Saturn
- 5.7 Dreamcast
- 5.8 Game Gear
6 Sony
- 6.1 PlayStation
- 6.2 PlayStation 2
- 6.3 PlayStation 3
- 6.4 PlayStation 4
- 6.5 PlayStation Portable
- 6.6 PlayStation Vita
7 Microsoft
- 7.1 MSX/MSX2
- 7.2 Xbox
8 Commodore
- 8.1 Vic-20
- 8.2 C64
- 8.3 Amiga
9 Atari
- 9.1 Atari 8-bit family
- 9.2 Atari 2600
- 9.3 Atari 5200
- 9.4 Atari ST
- 9.5 Atari Lynx
10 SNK
- 10.1 Neo Geo AES/CD
- 10.2 Neo Geo Pocket/Color
11 Coleco
- 11.1 ColecoVision
12 Bandai
- 12.1 WonderSwan/Color
13 Apple
- 13.1 Apple I + II + III
- 13.2 Apple Lisa
- 13.3 Macintosh 68k
- 13.4 Macintosh PPC
14 NEC
- 14.1 PC-98
- 14.2 PC-Engine/TurboGrafx/SuperGrafx
15 Fujitsu
- 15.1 FM Towns
16 Sinclair
- 16.1 ZX Spectrum
17 Tandy
- 17.1 TRS-80
18 Dragon Data
- 18.1 Dragon 32/64
19 Oric
- 19.1 Oric 1 / Atmos
20 Amstrad
- 20.1 Amstrad CPC
21 Acorn
- 21.1 Electron
- 21.2 BBC Micro
- 21.3 RISC PC
22 Thompson
- 22.1 MO5
- 22.2 TO7
- 22.3 TO8
23 Commander X16
24 IBM PC Compatible / MSDOS
25 References

Frontends[edit]

OpenEmu[edit]

Many emulators for macOS can be played very conveniently with OpenEmu which provides an iTunes-like interface for your game collection and uses various different emulator cores to play them, including command-line only emulators such as MAME and Mednafen. The systems emulated are listed here. In keeping with their goal of simplicity, some advanced features such as upscaling are generally not available. There is also no Arm build of OpenEmu available at time of writing.

Fightcade[edit]

Fightcade is a matchmaking frontend for playing many arcade fighting games online with other players. There is no Arm build at the time of writing.

Game-Specific Emulators[edit]

Some emulators target specific games rather than emulating whole systems, with ScummVM alone supporting over 300 games from various systems and more being added all the time.

Other projects are more considered source ports rather than emulators. See here for a list of source ports that work on macOS.

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Games List	Recommended
ScummVM	2.8.1	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	List	✓
DREAMM	2.1.2	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	List	✓

Arcade[edit]

Most Arcade Cabinets[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
MAME	0.265	✗	✗	✓	✓	?	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	~ ^{[N 1]}

Sega Atomiswave[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
Flycast	2.3	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓
MAME	0.265	✗	✗	✓	✓	?	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	~ ^{[N 1]}

Sega Model 3[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
Supermodel	0.3a	✗	✗	~	~ ^{[N 2]}	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗
MAME	0.265	✗	✗	✓	✓	?	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	~ ^{[N 1]}

Sega NAOMI/NAOMI 2[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
Flycast	2.3	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓
MAME	0.265	✗	✗	✓	✓	?	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	~ ^{[N 1]}

SNK Neo Geo MVS[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
ares	v138	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
FinalBurn Neo	1.0.0.2	✗	✗	✓	✓	?	✗	✗	✗	NC	✓	~
MAME	0.265	✗	✗	✓	✓	?	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	~ ^{[N 1]}

Arcade LaserDisc[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
MAME	0.265	✗	✗	✓	✓	?	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	~ ^{[N 1]}
Hypseus Singe	2.11.2	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗

Nintendo[edit]

NES/Famicom[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
ares	v138	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Nes-emu-iOS	git	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
SwiftNES	git	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✗	✓	✓	✗ ^{[N 3]}
Nin	git	✗	✗	✓	✗	?	✗	✗	✗	✓	~	~
Mesen	2.0.0 (preview)	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	~	✓	✓	~ ^{[N 3]}
MetalNES	git	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✗	✓	~	✗ ^{[N 3]}
Nestopia	1.52.1	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	?	✓	✓	✗ ^{[N 3]}

Super Nintendo[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
ares	v138	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
bsnes (Official)	v115	✗	✗	✓	✗	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	~	✓
bsnes-hd (forked bsnes)	beta 10.6	✗	✗	✓	✗	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✓
Mesen	2.0.0 (preview)	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	~	✓	✓	~ ^{[N 3]}
Mednafen	1.32.1	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	~ ^{[N 1]}
Snes9x	1.62.3	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	NC	✓	~

N64[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
ares	v138	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Mupen64Plus	2.5.9	✗	✗	✓	✗	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	~ ^{[N 4]}
Rokuyon	Releases	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗
simple64	v2021.5.30	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	?	✓	✗	✗

GameCube[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
Dolphin	5.0	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓

Wii[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
Dolphin	5.0	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓

Wii U[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
Cemu	2.0-80	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓

Switch[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
Ryujinx (龍神X)	Releases	✗	✗	~ ^{[N 5]}	✓	✗	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓
Suyu	~	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✓	✗	✓	✓	✗ ^{[N 6]}	✗
Yuzu (柚子)	~	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✓	✗	✓	✓	✗*	✗ ^{[N 7]}

Game Boy/Color[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Game Link Support	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
SameBoy	0.16.3	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
SkyEmu	v3	✗	✗	✓	✓	?	?	?	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓
ares	v138	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓
mGBA	0.10.3	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
KiGB	2.09	✗	✗	✓	✓	?	✗	✗	✓	~	✗	~	~ ^{[N 8]}
Gearboy	3.5.0	✗	✗	✓	✓	?	?	?	✗	✓	✓	~	✗ ^{[N 9]}
Mesen	2.0.0 (preview)	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	?	~	✓	✓	~ ^{[N 3]}
VisualBoy Advance-M (VBA-M)	2.1.9 Nightlies	✗	✗	✓	✗	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	~
Swift-plays-Pokemon	git	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗ ^{[N 10]}
Gambatte	r571	✗	✓	✗	✗	?	?	?	✗	?	✓	✗	✗

Game Boy Advance[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Game Link Support	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
SkyEmu	v3	✗	✗	✓	✓	?	?	?	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓
ares	v138	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓
NanoBoyAdvance	1.7.1	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓
Hades	1.0.0	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	?	?	✓	✓	?
mGBA	0.10.3	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Boycott Advance	0.4.4	✗	✗	✓	✓	?	✗	✗	✗	~	✗	~	~ ^{[N 8]}
Gearboy	3.5.0	✗	?	✓	✓	?	?	?	✗	✓	✓	~	✗ ^{[N 9]}
VisualBoy Advance-M (VBA-M)	2.1.9 Nightlies	✗	✗	✓	✗	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	~

DS[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
DeSmuME	0.9.13	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓
MelonDS	0.9.5	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓
NooDS	Releases	✗	✗	✓	✗	?	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	~
Medusa	Beta	✗	✗	✓	✗	✓	✗	✗	✓	~ ^{[N 11]}	~	✗

3DS[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
Citra_(PabloMK7_fork)	Releases	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓
Lime3DS	Releases	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓
Panda3DS	0.8	✗	✗	✓	✗	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗

Sega[edit]

SG-1000[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
ares	v138	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
RetroVM	Website	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✗	✓	✓
GearSystem	3.5.0	✗	✗	✓	✓	?	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗

Master System[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
ares	v138	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
CLK	2024-05-05	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
RetroVM	Website	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✗	✓	~
GearSystem	3.5.0	✗	✗	✓	✓	?	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗

Mega Drive/Genesis[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
ares	v138	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Generator	0.4.8	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	~	✗	✓	~ ^{[N 8]}
Genesis Plus	1.3.5	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	~	✗	✓	~ ^{[N 8]}

Mega CD[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
ares	v138	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓

32X[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
ares	v138	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓

Saturn[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
Mednafen	1.32.1	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	~ ^{[N 1]}
Yabause	0.9.15	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗

Dreamcast[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
Flycast	2.3	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓
Redream	1.5	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✗	✓	~ ^{[N 8]}

Game Gear[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
ares	v138	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
GearSystem	3.5.0	✗	✗	✓	✓	?	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗

Sony[edit]

PlayStation[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
DuckStation	git	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
ares	v138	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	~
PCSX-R	git PPC 1.6.0 Intel 1.9.93	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✓
PCSX-Redux	git	✗	✗	✓	✗	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	~
Mednafen	1.32.1	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	~ ^{[N 1]}

PlayStation 2[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
PCSX2	Nightly	✗	~ ^{[N 12]}	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
AetherSX2	1.5-3939	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	~ ^{[N 13]}	✗	✓ ^{[N 14]}
Play!	0.65	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗

PlayStation 3[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
RPCS3	0.0.32 Alpha	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	~ ^{[N 15]}

PlayStation 4[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
Obliteration	github	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗ ^{[N 16]}

PlayStation Portable[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
PPSSPP	1.17.1	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓

PlayStation Vita[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
Vita3K	0.2.0	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	~ ^{[N 15]}

Microsoft[edit]

MSX/MSX2[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
ares	v138	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
CLK	2024-05-05	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
CocoaMSX	git	✗	✗	✓	~ ^{[N 2]}	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	~	~
fMSX	6.0	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	~	✗	✓	~ ^{[N 8]}
RetroVM	Website	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✗	✓	✓

Xbox[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
Xemu	0.7.122	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓

Commodore[edit]

Vic-20[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
CLK	2024-05-05	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Power20	4.9.5	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	~ ^{[N 17]}

C64[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
VirtualC64	4.7	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Denise	2.2.1	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓
Frodo	4.4.4	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	~	✓	✓	~ ^{[N 8]}
VICE	3.8	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗
Power64	4.9.5	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	~ ^{[N 17]}

Amiga[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
vAmiga	2.5	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
FS-UAE	3.1.66	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓
Denise	2.2.1	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓
Amiberry	6.3.0 Preview	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	?	✓	✓	~
CLK	2024-05-05	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗

Atari[edit]

Atari 8-bit family[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
Rainbow	1.6.1	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	~	✗	✓	~ ^{[N 8]}

Atari 2600[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
CLK	2024-05-05	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓

Atari 5200[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
Jum52	1.1.4	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	~	✗	✓	~ ^{[N 8]}

Atari ST[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
Hatari	2.5.0	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓
CLK	2024-05-05	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓

Atari Lynx[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
Mednafen	1.32.1	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	~ ^{[N 1]}
Handy	0.9.11	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	~	✗	✓	~ ^{[N 8]}

SNK[edit]

Neo Geo AES/CD[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
ares	v138	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
FinalBurn Neo	1.0.0.2	✗	✗	✓	✓	?	✗	✗	✗	NC	✓	~
MAME	0.265	✗	✗	✓	✓	?	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	~ ^{[N 1]}

Neo Geo Pocket/Color[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
ares	v138	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Mednafen	1.32.1	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	~ ^{[N 1]}
Neopocott	0.5.5	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	~	✗	✓	~ ^{[N 8]}

Coleco[edit]

ColecoVision[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
ares	v138	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
CLK	2024-05-05	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Mugrat	0.5.0	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	~	✗	✓	~ ^{[N 8]}
Gearcoleco	1.1.0	✗	✗	✓	✓	?	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗

Bandai[edit]

WonderSwan/Color[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
ares	v138	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Mednafen	1.32.1	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	~ ^{[N 1]}
Oswan	0.8.6	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	~	✗	✓	~ ^{[N 8]}

Apple[edit]

Apple I + II + III[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
CLK	2024-05-05	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓
OpenEmulator	1.1.1	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	~	✓
KEGS	1.34	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	?
Sara	0.5.1	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	?
GSplus	0.14	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	?
GSport	0.31	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	?
MAME	0.265	✗	✗	✓	✓	?	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗

Apple Lisa[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
LisaEm	1.2.7	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	?

Macintosh 68k[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
CLK	2024-05-05	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓
Basilisk II	Download git	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	?
Mini vMac	36.04	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	?

Macintosh PPC[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
UTM	site git	✗	✗	~	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓
SheepShaver	29-12-2023 (Mac OS X) git	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	?

NEC[edit]

PC-98[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
SL9821	Website	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	~	✓
Neko Project II (猫Project II)	Website	✓	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗

PC-Engine/TurboGrafx/SuperGrafx[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
ares	v138	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Mednafen	1.32.1	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	~ ^{[N 1]}
Mesen	2.0.0 (preview)	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	~	✓	✓	~ ^{[N 3]}
TGEmu	0.3.8	✗	✗	✓	✓	?	✗	?	~	✗	✓	~ ^{[N 8]}

Fujitsu[edit]

FM Towns[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	Gamepad Support	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
Tsugaru (津軽)	Releases	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	?

Sinclair[edit]

ZX Spectrum[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
ares	v138	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓
CLK	2024-05-05	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓
ZEsarUX	11 Beta2	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	?
RetroVM	Website	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	?
Fuzzbug	0.0.5	✗	✗	✓	✓	?	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗ ^{[N 8]}
Fuse	Releases	✗	✗	✓	✗	?	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗

Tandy[edit]

TRS-80[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
TRS80GP	Website	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓
SDLTRS2	git	✗	✗	✓	?	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗

Dragon Data[edit]

Dragon 32/64[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
XRoar	git	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	?

Oric[edit]

Oric 1 / Atmos[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
CLK	2024-05-05	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓

Amstrad[edit]

Amstrad CPC[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
CLK	2024-05-05	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓
Retro Virtual Machine	2.1.11	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	?
ACE-DL	20240517	✗	✗	✓	✓	?	✗	✗	?	✓	?

Acorn[edit]

Electron[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
CLK	2024-05-05	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓

BBC Micro[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
b2	2024/04/23	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓
Horizon	2.1.1	✗	✗	✓	✓	?	✗	✗	✗	✓	~ ^{[N 8]}

RISC PC[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
RPCEmu	Releases	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	~

Thompson[edit]

MO5[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
MO5	2.6.7	✗	✗	✓	✓	?	✗	✗	✗	✓	~ ^{[N 8]}

TO7[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
Thom	1.6.5	✗	✗	✓	✓	?	✗	✗	✗	✓	~ ^{[N 8]}

TO8[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
TEO	1.8.7	✗	✗	✓	✓	?	✗	✗	✗	✓	~ ^{[N 8]}

Commander X16[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
X16 Emulator	r46	✗	✗	✓	~ ^{[N 2]}	✗	✗	✗	✓	~	~ ^{[N 18]}

IBM PC Compatible / MSDOS[edit]

Name	Latest Version	PPC	x86	x64	ARM	OpenGL	MoltenVK	Metal	FLOSS	Active	Recommended
Boxer	Website Fork	✗	✓	✓ ^{[N 19]}	✓ ^{[N 19]}	?	✗	✗	✓	~	✓
86Box	4.1.1	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓
DOSBox Staging	Releases	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓
DOSBox-X	2024.03.01	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓
DOSBox	0.74-3 SVN	✓	✓	✓	✗	?	✗	✗	✓	✓	~
Dapplegrey	Website	✗	✗	✓	✓	?	✗	✗	?	✓	✗
PCem	git	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	~	✗

This article is a never ending list. It will always need updates, it will likely have new content added to it on a consistent basis, & can never truly be a finished article.

References[edit]

↑ ^1.00 ^1.01 ^1.02 ^1.03 ^1.04 ^1.05 ^1.06 ^1.07 ^1.08 ^1.09 ^1.10 ^1.11 ^1.12 ^1.13 Command line application. Best played using OpenEmu.
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 No official Arm build. Needs to be built from source
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 ^3.4 ^3.5 ^3.6 Must compile from source.
↑ Only available as a core. Best played using OpenEmu.
↑ Some games may work with an x64 Intel Mac, but performance will be sub-par.
↑ Suyu was a Yuzu fork. It has been discontinued.
↑ Yuzu has been discontinued. Various forks are available.
↑ ^8.00 ^8.01 ^8.02 ^8.03 ^8.04 ^8.05 ^8.06 ^8.07 ^8.08 ^8.09 ^8.10 ^8.11 ^8.12 ^8.13 ^8.14 ^8.15 ^8.16 ^8.17 ^8.18 Requires paid version to access extra emulation features
↑ ^9.0 ^9.1 v3.5.0 builds are broken.
↑ No Audio. Must compile from source and run from command line.
↑ Not open sourced yet, but will likely be opened later in development
↑ Unofficial 32-bit builds and builds for older versions of macOS are available here. Compatible with macOS 10.9 Mavericks to 10.14 Mojave.
↑ Based on PCSX2, so it is partially FLOSS. The ARM parts are currently closed source.
↑ Recommended on Apple Silicon except for where there are game-specific bugs that are fixed in PCSX2.
↑ ^15.0 ^15.1 Compatibility varies greatly depending on the title
↑ Very early in development. There is currently no graphics backend.
↑ ^17.0 ^17.1 Shareware. Requires license to unlock full version.
↑ Command-line only application. No app bundle provided.
↑ ^19.0 ^19.1 There is a fork of Boxer that supports x64 and Arm

[openemu-1] 1.00 ^1.01 ^1.02 ^1.03 ^1.04 ^1.05 ^1.06 ^1.07 ^1.08 ^1.09 ^1.10 ^1.11 ^1.12 ^1.13 Command line application. Best played using OpenEmu.

[compile-arm-2] 2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 No official Arm build. Needs to be built from source

[compile-3] 3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 ^3.4 ^3.5 ^3.6 Must compile from source.

[4] Only available as a core. Best played using OpenEmu.

[5] Some games may work with an x64 Intel Mac, but performance will be sub-par.

[6] Suyu was a Yuzu fork. It has been discontinued.

[7] Yuzu has been discontinued. Various forks are available.

[paid-8] 8.00 ^8.01 ^8.02 ^8.03 ^8.04 ^8.05 ^8.06 ^8.07 ^8.08 ^8.09 ^8.10 ^8.11 ^8.12 ^8.13 ^8.14 ^8.15 ^8.16 ^8.17 ^8.18 Requires paid version to access extra emulation features

[gearboy-9] 9.0 ^9.1 v3.5.0 builds are broken.

[10] No Audio. Must compile from source and run from command line.

[11] Not open sourced yet, but will likely be opened later in development

[12] Unofficial 32-bit builds and builds for older versions of macOS are available here. Compatible with macOS 10.9 Mavericks to 10.14 Mojave.

[13] Based on PCSX2, so it is partially FLOSS. The ARM parts are currently closed source.

[14] Recommended on Apple Silicon except for where there are game-specific bugs that are fixed in PCSX2.

[compat-15] 15.0 ^15.1 Compatibility varies greatly depending on the title

[16] Very early in development. There is currently no graphics backend.

[shareware-17] 17.0 ^17.1 Shareware. Requires license to unlock full version.

[command-line-18] Command-line only application. No app bundle provided.

[boxer-19] 19.0 ^19.1 There is a fork of Boxer that supports x64 and Arm

[N 1]

[N 2]

[N 3]

[N 4]

[N 5]

[N 6]

[N 7]

[N 8]

[N 9]

[N 10]

[N 11]

[N 12]

[N 13]

[N 14]

[N 15]

[N 16]

[N 17]

[N 18]

[N 19]